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Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoLenny Ignelzi | Associated PressAndy Dalton struggled in the playoffs the past two seasons, when the Bengals lost to the Texans. “For me, we need to get a win in this one,” he said.

CINCINNATI — The time to deliver is now for Andy Dalton, and the third-year Cincinnati Bengals
quarterback is embracing the personal stakes of the NFL postseason’s crucible.

Dalton knows his reputation will be greatly shaped by how he performs on Sunday against the San
Diego Chargers when the Bengals attempt to get their first playoff win since the 1990 season.

“Everybody looks at the quarterbacks,” Dalton said. “If you’re winning games in the playoffs,
you’re doing some good things.”

A postseason victory proved elusive the past two years, causing critics to question whether the
productive but inconsistent Dalton is capable of leading the Bengals to the next level. He put up
subpar statistics in losing to Houston both times.

“People can keep saying whatever they want because we haven’t won a playoff game,” Dalton said. “
You’ve got to win. That’s what it comes down to. And for us to get where we want to go, we need to
win. That’s the way it works.

“For me, we need to get a win in this one. There’s always going to be something that’s going to
be wrong, but to get a win would be big.”

The playoff losses are a neon asterisk to Dalton’s achievements, chief among them leading the
Bengals to three consecutive postseason appearances for the first time, the previous two as a
wild-card team.

Cincinnati (11-5) won the AFC North this season, as Dalton set team records for touchdown passes
(33) and yards (4,296). He joined Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks to begin their NFL
careers with three straight seasons of passing for more than 3,000 yards.

Dalton, 30-18 in his career in regular-season games, was the AFC offensive player of the month
in October when he became the first Cincinnati quarterback to throw 11 touchdown passes over a span
of three games and topped 300 yards passing in four straight.

This season alone, he posted victories over Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Tom Brady, Aaron
Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco. Dalton also beat Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers, who
will be seeking revenge on Sunday.

“What you’ve done in the regular season doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all about what you’re doing
now,” said Dalton, who has produced one touchdown in 21 postseason possessions.

In the playoff losses, Dalton totaled four interceptions without a touchdown while completing
only 56.9 percent of his attempts for an average of 192 yards and a 48.6 passer rating.

He was 14 of 30 for 127 yards and one interception in last year’s 19-13 loss at Houston. He
overthrew a potential 36-yard TD pass to receiver A.J. Green, who was open in the end zone with
2:51 remaining and the Bengals trailing by six points.

“That’s a great example of us not hitting the play that could have won the game for us — a
defining moment,” Dalton said.

Besides the playoff losses, Dalton is 2-4 in national prime-time regular-season games,
completing 60 percent of his passes for an average of 216.8 yards, with five touchdowns and five
interceptions.

Inconsistency has been his undoing. This season, Dalton has had passer ratings higher than 105
in six games and lower than 63 in five. He threw four interceptions in a 34-17 victory over
Baltimore last week.

“I feel great about where Andy is right now,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “He just keeps playing
and is really unflappable.”

On Sunday, Dalton faces an opponent in Rivers who is 3-4 in the postseason and a player whom
Lewis called “as good a quarterback as there is in the league.” A win would earn Dalton and the
Bengals a game at New England to face Brady and his three Super Bowl wins. Denver’s Manning,
another future Hall of Famer, looms in the other side of the AFC bracket.

“I understand what’s at stake here and what we’re trying to accomplish,” Dalton said. “I’m going
to do my part to put my team in a good position.”